Railway car truck



March 3, 1936. A. F. LEPPLA RAILWAY GAR TRUCK Filed Dec. 7, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. F. LEPPLA arch 3, 1936,

RAILWAY CAR TRUCK Filed Dec. '7, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 3, 1936. A, F. LEPPLA RAILWAY CAR TRUCK Filed Dec. 7, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IIIIIIIII Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAILWAY CAR. TRUCK Albert F. Leppla, Rock Island, 111.

Application December 7, 1933, Serial No. 701,368

6 Claims. (Cl. 105-497) This invention relates to improvements in railway car trucks and more especially to improved means for maintaining a square truck while dispensing with the usual spring plank.

An object of the invention is to strengthen the truck side frames while at the same time providing a large area of contact between the side frames and bolster, whereby the life of the side frames and bolster is increased by the increased wearing area. By virtue of the large area of contact between the side frames and bolster, particularly along the lengthwise sides of the bolster, a condition is obtained in which the center lines of the side frames are kept perpendicular to the center line of the bolster.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a car truck side frame and bolster assembly made in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view partly in section, the section being taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to the center portion of Fig. 2 but showing an arrangement to permit the use of six springs instead of four.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view, partly in elevation of a detail of another modification.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing an embodiment in which a leaf spring is used in combination with coil springs for supporting the bolster.

Fig. '7 is a top plan view of the same partly in section, the section being taken along the line 1'l of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a side frame and bolster assembly and illustrating another modification.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 8, partly in section, said section being taken on the line 99 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation partly in vertical section, of still another modification.

Fig. 11 is a top plan view partly in horizontal section of the structure shown in Fig. 10, said section being taken on the line l|-ll of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 4 of another form of the invention.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs, 1 to 3 inclusive, 12a designates a car truck side frame having vertical columns l3 which are wider than the triangular portions I4 in order to provide increased contact surface. This side frame also differs from 5 conventional side frames in that a vertical post or'tie I5 connects the compression portion l6 at the top of the bolster opening I! to the spring seat portion 18 at the bottom of said opening.

The bolster l 9 in this instance has fork-shaped ends and an end of the bolster straddles the post [5 as shown in Fig. 2.

Inner lugs 20 and outer lugs 2| are provided at the opposite sides of the bolster and the surfaces of the bolster between these lugs engage 15 the inner surfaces of the columns [3. Of course, the lugs limit, lateral movement of the bolster relative to the side frame while the bolster is supported by coil springs 22, but the lower portions of the columns are notched at 23 to provide clearance for the outer lugs 2| when the springs are removed and the bolster is lowered for withdrawal.

The brake hanger brackets 24 in accordance with the invention are extended inwardly and provided with vertical transverse webs 25 which bear against bearing surfaces 26 arranged inwardly of the inner lugs 20 at opposite sides of the bolster.

The advantages of the above construction are:-

(a) The side frame is strengthened by the use of the vertical post l5. A large area of contact between the side frame and bolster is obtained and the life of the side frame and bolster is thereby increased by the increased wearing area. 35

(b) By virtue of the large area of contact between the side frame and bolster, lengthwise of the sides of the bolster, a. condition is obtained in which the center line of the side frame is kept perpendicular to the center line of the bolster. This condition maintains a square truck and allows the usual spring plank to be dispensed with.

Four springs are employed to support the bolster in the structure shown in Figs. 1 m3 inclusive, but where six springs 21 are to be employed, as shown in Fig. 4, the opposite sides of the lower portion of the post 28 may be shaped to provide an opening 29 to partially receive the medial springs.

In Fig. 5, the bolster engaging surface 30 is made as an extension of the brake hanger bracket 3| and has the advantage of increasing the length of contact between the side frame 32 and bolster 33, and thereby increasing the rigidity with which the truck is held in square.

Where it is desired to support the bolster by leaf springs as well as by coil springs, the post 34, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, need not extend from top to bottom of the bolster opening, but it can simply depend from the compression portion 35 of the side frame to a point positioned above the spring seat portion 36 of the frame. Then a leaf spring 31 and coil springs 38 may be employed to support the bolster 39 and spring cap 40.

Instead of making the ends of the bolster of fork-shape, I can, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, provide each end of the bolster 4| with a vertical port 42 which will more or less snugly engage a post 43 which is integral with and depends from the compression portion 44 of the side frame 45. With a structure of this kind, the inner and outer lugs 46 and 41 of the bolster could be dispensed with, although I prefer to employ them.

In Figs. 10 and 1 1, I have illustrated a construction in which a plurality of pins 48 depend from the compression portion 49' of the side frame and cooperate with sockets 50 formed in the bolster. Thisconstruction has the advantage of increasing the wearing area between the side frame and bolster 52 and aids in maintaining a square truck. The modification also permits a leaf spring 53 at the center of the spring group as well as coil springs 54.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 12, the outer bolster lugs are dispensed with and the upper portion of the post 55 is substantially of T-shape in horizontal section, as shown at 56, and the forked end 51 of the bolster is correspondingly shaped as shown at 58, so as to limit the lateral movement of the bolster after it has been attached to the post.

While I have disclosed what I now consider to be some preferred embodiments of the invention in such manner that the same may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, I am aware that changes may be made in thedetails disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters 7 Patent is:

stantially T-shaped, and a bolster extending into the bolster opening and shaped to engage the T-section portion of the post and said columns,

so as to form a positive lock between the bolster and the side frame.

2. In a car truck, a side frame having columns at opposite sides of a bolster opening, a substantially T-shaped post rigidly united with the side frame and arranged in said bolster opening, a bolster extending into the bolster opening and shaped to engage said post and said columns, said T-shaped post depending from top portion of the side frame and forming a positive lock between bolster and side frame, and springs in the bolster opening supporting the bolster.

3. In a railway car truck, a side frame having a bolster opening and columns arranged at opposite sides thereof, a vertically disposed substantial T-shaped post integral with the side frame and arranged in said opening between said columns, and a bolster having its ends shaped to contact with the columns and post over relatively large bearing areas.

4. In a railway car truck, a side frame having a bolster opening and columns arranged at oppo-g site sides thereof, a vertically disposed T-shaped post integral with the side frames and arranged in said opening between said columns, a bolster having its ends shaped to contact with the columns and posts over relatively, large bearing areas, said T-shaped post being of substantially the same transverse width as each column. I

5. In a car truck, a side frame having columns at opposite sides of a bolster opening, a postrigidly united with the side frame and arranged in said bolster opening, and a bolster extending into the bolster opening and shaped to engage said post and said columns, a portion of the post being of substantially T-shape in horizontal section, and the end of the bolster being correspondingly shaped and engaging the T-shape portion of the post. i

6. In a car truck, a side frame having columns at opposite sides of a bolster opening, a post rigidly united with the side frame and arranged in the bolster opening, each of the opposite sides of the upper portion of the post being of nonrectilinear shape horizontally, and a bolster extending into the bolster opening and shaped to engage the upper portion of said post and said columns, said bolster and the upper portion of said post being constructed and arranged so-as to form a positive lock between the bolster and the side frame.

ALBERT F; LEPPLA.; 

